Given the circumstances, the Fire did not play a bad game in Philadelphia. The effort appeared to be there although some of Veljko Paunovic’s lineup and tactical choices could be second-guessed. The Fire’s 3-1 loss in Philadelphia on Wednesday night featured Brandon Vincent, Kevin Ellis, Jorge Corrales and Johan Kappelhof in the backline while both Jonathan Campbell and Grant Lillard sat out. Bastian Schweinsteiger was deployed as a fifth defender to begin the match in order to keep some semblance of order. That worked for about 44 minutes but his absence from midfield left the team toothless and easy to defend in the first half.

A 45th-minute Union goal drew Schweinsteiger out into a more advanced role but the patchwork backline predictably suffered without him there to provide constant aid. After mustering only one shot attempt in the first half, the Fire were able to get seven of their nine second-half attempts on frame even if Union ‘keeper Andre Blake didn’t have...